The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-23
H-rSnen for TAe ArkaAsaw Trae<ler. TRIALS AND TROUBLES
 OF A SHEEP HERDER.
BY KANAiSA.

Out here in Montana sheep are put into bands of about s,500, each band having heryier. Some days every thing goes along smoothly, while at other times the trials of the herVier are something terrible. The follow ing is & specimen of bad day:
 "You internal cusses, measley, blankety blank. blank idiots, can't you go any other way but just that way?" and the weary herier lifts first his coat, then his bench and book, and, lastly, himself up from the ground, and starts after the herd, which has wandered off in line directly oppo- site to that in which he headed them but few moments before.
 "Cuss you, go it v he mutters, as a gust of wind comes along and takes his hat along with it.
 He stops, looks first at the hat which the wind Is carrying of over the hill, and then at the sheep. These are feeding quietly now, True, some of them have gone over the brow of the hill, but he thinks they will be all right for a moment, and SD makes a rush for his hat. Reaching it, he makes grab for it, but just then another puff of wind snatches it from him, he stumbles, and in moment lands on his hands and knees in bed of prickly pears.
 'Oh onch !" he wells. "Blank the blankety things!" he says, as he care fully and slowly rises. then, with eyes only for his hat. he makes one more dash after it, and this time with success.
 Seizing 1t, he places it on his head, giving it bang to settle it, thereby driving the thorns deeper into his hands, which causes him to utter some pretty sharp language.
 "Where the deuce have those infer nal sheep gone2' He has looked around to where he left them, but not one head is in sight. His hands are full of priekly pear, but, comforting himself with the thought that the sheep will be just over the hill, he starts off on a run after them.
 Arriving at the top of the hill, n worn, despairing look o'crspreads his countenance, for he can just see few old ewes going down the coolie toward the very spot he has been trying all the morning to keep them away from.
 For q moment he stands and ab- sently picks some thorns from his hands, then the light of desperate resolve chases the gloom from his 1 face. It's terribly hot, but he must keep those sheep away from that par l ticular spot more than that, they are bound to go there, and he is bound that they shan't, so of he starts across the hill to head them back.
 When he catches sight of them. the away, going ona lope, and the others are travelling as fast as their legs will let them, trying to catch up. With n yell of despair, he dashes after them, his only thought now be- ing to get ahead of and drive them back. After a hard run, he gets in front of them, and then, with diaboli- cal rage in his face and throat parched with thirst, he addresses them in language strongly tinctured with profanity:
 "You won't go the way want you to, you cussed, internal brutes, we'll see whether you will or not" And with a wild yell and wrathful eyes, he rushes to one side and drives it back short way, though it is hard job, for the sheep, determined on going their own way, bunch them selves together and refuse to bc moved, and if is only by kicks, yclls and waving This coat that he at last moves them few feet.
 This accomplished, he turns to the other side, only to see them travelling down the coolie again.
 With a silent admonition to him. self to be patient and not get mad, he hurries to this side, and, by dint of hard work, At last gets the whole band out of the coolie, on the hill and on more desirable portion of the range. By this time he is thoroughly tired, hungry and thirsty. Right to his left, in that next coolie, there is fine spring that he knows of If he can only make the sheep go over there
 "What the deuce Is that?" AS he catches sight of some objects on his right. "It's sheep, AS Pm living sinner. It must be a split. Cuss their internal, idiotical hearts, haven't they got any senseI"
 He studies for a moment whether to drive the main band to the strays or go and drive the strays back to the band.
 "I will be nearer to the spring If go and drive that durned outfit back" iie iautteFs- "They arg only !s..le